


red and black like your outlines

by moonprism (orphan_account)



Series: hang tight / all you [1]
Category: NCT (Band)
Genre: Alternate Universe - College/University, Angst, Character Development, Developing Relationship, Frenemies, Jaehyun is an asshole, M/M, Mental Anguish, Roommates, Sexual Tension, Taeyong-centric, Unresolved Romantic Tension
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-11-27
Updated: 2017-11-27
Packaged: 2019-02-07 17:20:33
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,471
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/12845865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/moonprism
Summary: Jaehyun becomes tangible. Taeyong falls apart.





	red and black like your outlines

**Author's Note:**

> will i ever stop posting works-in-progress when im stressed over not having posted in a while? 
> 
> rating will change to explicit for eventual frequent sexual content! tags may be updated. for a warning, this fic will contain an eventual physical fight scene ( _not_ domestic violence). problematic content may be included but ill warn for it when or if it comes!
> 
> fyi: i dont like writing jaehyun as a nice or good person! taeyong probably isn't too good either in this.
> 
> this is my first time writing taeyong as a main character so im a nervous!

Taeyong can’t remember exactly when he met Jaehyun, only that he did before high school graduation. It was in the final two years of high school, for sure, he’s just not sure which one. They were acquaintances. Friends of friends. It trickled down: Taeyong was friends with Taeil who was friends with Doyoung who was friends with Yuta who knew Jaehyun because of being in an elective together. Jaehyun had his friends, friends that also trickled down and reached in weird places. It eventually branched out, melded, became a random mess of boys—friends by pure coincidence or long term relationships developed from years of going to school together. Taeyong’s friends became Jaehyun’s friends—thrown together to form this ever growing mass of people with nothing in common except their relationships with each other. 

Jaehyun was nothing to Taeyong. It sounds harsh, but that’s reality. Jaehyun was a formless entity he paid no serious attention to. A superficial relationship with no basis to begin friendship. Taeyong didn’t care to try; and if Jaehyun did, he never showed it. Taeyong just didn’t see how they could ever be _friends_. Jaehyun just wasn’t his kind of person, and that happens. No hard feelings. Taeyong was probably nobody to him, too. A friend of his friends—there were so many of them after all. Someone he spent time with, but never anything deeper and always with someone else there. Taeyong doesn’t think they even exchanged numbers, and if they had, Taeyong doesn’t have the same phone, let alone the same phone number.

And with living in a town like this, most of your friends and peers will go to your university, or stay in town while you attend. This hodge podge group is no different. A handful have graduated, a handful are still here, some never attended, some went to community college, and the rest haven’t even graduated high school. 

It's Taeyong’s fifth (yes, fifth) year of university, and high school now is such a weird, distant memory it feels like it never happened. Like all memories somehow dissolved and disappeared after graduation. Or became shapeless and spread out, no way for Taeyong to piece them back together or organize them. Taeyong can’t remember half of the things he did with his friends, let alone with Jaehyun. Weird flashes of hanging out and stupid nights with blurred edges and faces come up, but nothing solid.

Jaehyun didn’t disappear after Taeyong’s graduation though, even with being a grade or two below Taeyong. How could he? They were part of the same pool of friends, never completely separated from each other. His friends like Jaehyun, and Taeyong eventually developed some kind of more-than-acquaintances-but-still-not-really-friends relationship. They attend the same university. Jaehyun is probably a junior now, and Taeyong is a “senior.” He isn’t even a _graduating_ senior; he still has two more more fucking years left. It’s what he deserves for adding a second major to his already useless one, extending his graduation requirements. But it’s what he wants to do—what he feels he has to do. Taeyong doesn’t mind it; it’s more debt and more time here, more stress, but it’s maybe, hopefully, a better job, or something. 

Taeyong and Jaehyun don’t talk, but that’s it. That’s all there is to it. Jaehyun seems to only exist when he’s with their other friends, vanishing from reality when the meeting is over. That’s what it feels like to Taeyong.

In actuality, Jaehyun doesn’t vanish. He exists just as much as Taeyong does, only Taeyong forgets that. But he definitely appears in a place Taeyong least expected. The only reason these thoughts surfaced at all. Because of a university housing email a few weeks before move-in day. In eleven point Arial font.

> _Your housing application has been processed. Please review your housing account. After accessing the university’s student portal, the Housing link is located under the Student Services & Financial Aid tab._

  
And there Jaehyun was, listed officially as his roommate for the upcoming academic year. It couldn’t have been anyone else. Even if there _could be_ more than one Jaehyun Jung in this town, Taeyong knows the Universe loves throwing shit at you like this.Taeyong didn’t feel shock or surprise; he didn’t know what he felt, honestly. Nothing he could put into the proper words. Nothing that he could accurately describe. He just knew he felt something weird in the pit of chest and in his brain. That this wasn’t going to be a walk in the fucking park for some reason. Taeyong doesn’t know much about Jaehyun, but he knows enough to understand that this year is going to be a weird one.

Taeyong has been living on campus for so long that he gave up with putting his preferences on the housing application. He could request a well mannered, neat freak until he was blue in the face; but students lie, and Taeyong has experienced the outcome of that more than a few times since freshman year. Jaehyun probably put no preference either, which is why they more than likely ended up together.

It doesn’t matter, though. He’s just thankful to dorm in the New Hall this year. It’s cleaner; the bathrooms are nicer; the carpet doesn’t look like it’ll cause diseases if tread upon barefoot. All the eponymous Greek letter dorms are the original dorms or later (but still old) added student “apartments”, completely disgusting and fucking ugly to look at. New Hall is this beautiful four story building with _interior_ fucking hallways. A fucking elevator. Taeyong lived in Delta for three years (and one year at Epsilon as an incoming freshman), and during those years the university gave no fucks about upgrading dorms or extreme upkeep. All three Delta buildings, two stories tall, are brown brick buildings with equally hideous brown roofing. The railing around the outdoor halls is _sketchy_ at best, like you could push against them and fall and break your neck. The outdoor hallway thing freaked Taeyong out, like anyone could just burst his door down from the outside if they wanted to and kill him in his sleep, or steal his Mac Book or something.

Delta, Epsilon, and Beta/Gamma looked like places you could get murdered. Easily. And the Delta laundry room and Commons were two buildings away during the years his shittiest luck manifested in the form of unfortunate assigned dorm buildings. Taeyong remembers more than a few times he was holed up at the Delta laundry room for hours waiting for a downpour of heavy rain to stop. 

So, yeah, fuck Delta. Taeyong didn’t care _how_ much cheaper it was than New Hall. He applied for some grants this year for the extra money, and it came out to be enough to afford New Hall. Not that New Hall is luxurious and outlandishly expensive, but Taeyong isn’t an extravagant spender. 

And even though he feels at his age he should stay at the Beta/Gamma student apartments, they’re too much work. Taeyong doesn’t have the time, the means, or the will to keep up with the size of the apartments and with preparing food and buying groceries. There’s enough time for that after he graduates.

Since Taeyong is a fifth year student, his move-in day is the first day of Welcome Week, the week all the students move into their dorms and get told the ropes of campus life, whatever, whatever. All athletic groups and band members have already moved in the month prior to prepare for the new semester. Welcome Week is the week of ten percent moving and ninety percent partying, sex, and getting fucked up. You get all your shit together eventually. Like, right by the hair of your fucking chin. Or you don’t. Depends. Taeyong is a mix of getting-his-shit done and partying-until-he-blacks-out. A flawed system, but it works. He’s managed enough with it the last three years. 

He’s already checked in with the New Hall’s office, his residential assistant, his neighbors—Ten, an eventual good friend of his, is one of them, he finds out. They say a quick hey in passing with a promise to chat later. And now it’s down three stories to the parking lot to drag his shit from his Wrangler back up three stories again. He hasn’t even opened his dorm door yet.  
  
  
  
There’s been no sign of Jaehyun, which is almost surprising. Since the university isn’t big and dorms are limited, juniors move in the same day; the following day is reserved for straggler upper years and sophomores, and, on the final move-in day, freshmen. But from what little Taeyong knows about Jaehyun’s character, he’s probably putting it off last minute or half-assing it. But Jaehyun _has_ to check-in with the residential hall’s community office by four p.m., and right now it’s only a little past nine a.m.

Taeyong has to move all his things from his almost-no-space Jeep up three flights of stairs. The elevator is barely any use going up seeing as it’s constantly in use and crowded with at least two to three people moving belongings to their own floors. Stairs are quicker but infinitely more exhausting. And Taeyong has no help. The last few years, he’s contacted roommates to meet up at the same time, and they work together on moving in; but this year it didn’t really occur to him to contact Jaehyun. Taeyong is a fucking idiot, but Jaehyun didn’t try either.

So he decides, instead of spending four hours carting all the big shit up the stairs, he’ll wait for Jaehyun to help him. Because he will force Jaehyun to help him. Taeyong is the one who brought all the important and necessary-for-university-survival items in his tiny vehicle. Jaehyun should be fucking grateful. Why the fuck do the freshman get help from the move-in helpers and not the seniors and juniors? Fuck this small university.

A familiar bright face pops his head through Taeyong’s open dorm door. It’s Ten, his glasses perched on his nose in disarray and plastic box in his arms. 

“You holding up okay?” he asks, genuinely concerned. 

“Yeah,” Taeyong smiles as he straightens up the remaining clothes in his drawer. “Pissed my roommate isn’t here to help me.”

Ten frowns but then smiles. “I heard your roommate is Jaehyun. You really got the short end of the fucking stick this year, dude,” Ten tells him.  
Taeyong closes his eyes before speaking. “How do you even know?” Taeyong knows the answer.

“A little birdie told me,” Ten says. A little birdie being Doyoung, Taeyong’s bestfriend—the only person Taeyong told. Taeyong is going to send Doyoung a strongly worded text later.

“A little birdie, huh?” Taeyong pauses, and Ten smiles ear to ear and nods. “Who’s your roommate? You didn’t tell me yet.”

“Yuta!” Ten replies.

“ _Fuck_.” 

“What the hell do you mean by that?” Ten furrows his brows, voice hinting heavily at offense. This floor will never be quiet. It will never be quiet, and Taeyong is going to lose his fucking mind.

“Don’t be jealous that I lucked out and got a roommate I have fun with while you’re stuck with edgelord Jaehyun.” Ten sticks out his tongue and disappears from the door. 

But at exactly three-thirty-seven, the door to Taeyong’s dorm opens, and a tall figure with a duffle bag thrown over his shoulder walks into the room. Jaehyun is finally there, dark hair much longer than the last time Taeyong saw him, with nothing but one bag with him. Taeyong stares dumbly at him, eyes and mouth relaxed into a look of disinterest and utter death-to-Jaehyun. Jaehyun just smiles stupidly and throws his bag onto the bed Taeyong isn’t occupying.

“What’s up, roomie?” Jaehyun asks too upbeat, clearly not seeking an answer, as he unzips the bag.

“Where the fuck have you been?” Taeyong decides to ask immediately. Fuck formality.

“Woah, woah,” Jaehyun says. “It’s just move-in day. Chill.”

“You have _nothing_ in here, and I had no help to get my shit out of my Jeep.” Taeyong is calm, but he sounds fucking angry.

“You have a Jeep? That’s hot.” Jaehyun turns around to open the small drawer by his bed. Taeyong wants to launch himself across the room and slam Jaehyun’s shitty fingers inside of the drawer.

Taeyong ignores the comment, and swallows. “You’re going to help me get my shit out of it.”

Jaehyun snorts. “Or what? You’re gonna tell on me? Deny me basic human rights?” Jaehyun throws his clothes into the top drawer, and Taeyong feels his skin crawl. This is going to be a fucking nightmare.

Taeyong sighs and closes his eyes. He doesn’t want to fight with this person. It’s not worth the energy. “I brought a microwave.” Even though they’re banned. “And some other things that will make our lives easier. You owe me.” 

“Alright, alright,” Jaehyun says, defeated. “You only need help with the appliances right? Nothing else?” 

“Yeah, most of my stuff is already up here.”

“We’ll do it tomorrow,” is all Jaehyun says.

“And why will we do it tomorrow?” It’ll be busy as hell with the sophomores coming in. Taeyong internally screams.

“Let’s just chill out tonight. We can go to the caf together.” Taeyong gives him a look. “Roommate bonding,” Jaehyun explains. Taeyong gives him another look. Jaehyun rolls his eyes. “Are you going to be a bitch the entire time?”

Yes. “Are _you_?” Taeyong asks incredulously. 

“Of course,” Jaehyun replies, fishing a pack of cigarettes out of his jacket on the bed. “Now change out of your sweats and get your ass in gear.”

Taeyong rolls his eyes but gets up anyway, clearly having given in. He pulls his shirt off and tries to ignore how quiet the room suddenly is. Is Jaehyun making fun of him? Taeyong honestly doesn’t want to turn around and look him in the eye.

“Damn, dude, you’re sexy,” Jaehyun says from his side of the room, and Taeyong pulls a folded shirt from the dresser.

“Are you fucking kidding me?” Taeyong says, side now facing Jaehyun as he attempts to get his arms through the sleeves.

“You’re blushing,” Jaehyun tells him. But Taeyong literally fucking isn’t.

“No, I’m not,” he says, turning his head to Jaehyun who has this evil glint in his eye that reflects in his smile and cheeks. Taeyong thinks if Jaehyun wasn’t such a jackass, he’d be handsome. Or that his handsomeness is ruined by his shitty personality.

“You’re right. You’re not.” Jaehyun pauses. “Your nipples are hard, though.” Compulsively, Taeyong looks at his chest. “Made you look.”

Taeyong lets a small, breathy laugh of disbelief out of his nose as he pulls the fabric over his head and down his torso. Taeyong feels he won’t survive this situation without some bumps and bruises.

**Author's Note:**

> my life is in shambles right now currently i am stress and impulse posting this. i also wanted to post something serious ughhh. 
> 
> comments are appreciated ;_;


End file.
